Internal-combustion engine.



B. F. POTTENGER.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16.1913.

29,538. Patented 1190.11, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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E. F. POTTENGER.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATTON FILED JULY 16, 1913.

1 1 20,533, Patented Decfs, 1914 STA ATENT anion.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

' Application filed July 16, 1913. Serial No. 779,304.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN FULTON Po'r'r- ENGER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of the city of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specifica tion.

My invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines, with more particular reference to the cylinder thereof, and the object of my invention is to devise an internal combustion engine of the twocycle type, which shall have two explosions per revolution, that is, an explosion on the down stroke and an explosion on the up stroke, thus gaining a large increase of power without any material addition to the weight or dimensions of the engine being necessary.

A further object is to devise an internal combustion engine which shall be valveless,

and in which the burned gases shall be efficiently cleared out of the cylinder before the fresh explosive charge is admitted, thus obviating the possibilityof any of the explosive mixture being driven out along with the exhausting gases, as is common in two cycle engines of the present type, and making my engine most economical as regards fuel consumption.

A still further object is to devise an internal combustion engine which shall be of the minimum weight for a given power without sacrificing strength of construction to attain this purpose, and having the working parts reduced to a minimum, thus making the engine particularly well adapted to aviation purposes, while at the same time equally adaptable to any other purposes for which internal combustion engines are used.

I attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which i 4 Figure 1 is a sectional elevation on the vertical center line of my engine. Fig. 2

' is a sectional elevation of the sleeve through the slots.

the sleeve. of the fixed-piston. Fig. 5 is an outside ele vation of the fixed piston. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of one of the piston holders.

Fig. 3 is an outside elevationof Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation- Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the piston holder. Fig. 8 is a front end view of Fig. 7.

Similar letters of reference indicate simil'ar parts throughout the several views.

a is the cylinder wall of my engine.

b is the water circulation space.

0 is the bore of the cylinder.

d is the fixed piston, annular in plan section, and firmly held to the cylinder wall a by the piston holders 6, which are adapted to pass through the cylinder wall and the sliding sleeve and into the fixedpiston, as shown in Fig. 1. The piston holders e have flanges on their outer ends, by which they are fastened to the cylinder wall, thus making a rigid connection between the cylinder and the fixed piston. The piston d is formed as a cylinder, and its ends are closed by the heads f and g, which are concave-in form and are screwed into the piston as shown in Fig. 4. Openings w are formed in cl, as

shown in Fig. 4, to receive the holders 6.

h is the sliding sleeve, or moving piston, which incloses the fixed piston (Z, and moves up and down in the bore 0 and between the outside of the fixed piston d and the inside of the cylinder wall a. h is formed as a cylinder, the thickness of its walls being such that it will have a good working fit on the body of the fixed piston and in the bore of the cylinder. The ends of k are closed by the heads 2' and j, which are concave on their inner faces and are screwed into 72. as shown in Fig. 2, to be perfectly tight to prevent leakage of the explosive gases.

k are piston rings fitted on the outside of the sleeve it, toward its top and bottom ends.

vt is the connecting rod.

u is the crank shaft.

a; is the crank case,

Having now indicated the principal parts of my invention, 1 will now describe its operation.

Referring particularly to Fig.1, in which the engine is shown on the down stroke, it

will be seen that there are two explosion chambers within the sliding sleeve it, one chamber being the space inclosed within the sleeve between the head 7" of the fixed piston d and the head i of the sleeve h and the other or lower chamber being the space inclosed plosion chambers alternately, an explosion will occur in the lower chamber and an explosion within the sleeve between the head 9 of the fixed piston d and the head j of the sleeve it so that if an explosive mixture be admitted alternately by the injection valves 7" and ignited by the spark plugs g, an explosion will take place in the top and bottom exin other words to drive the sleeve down, will occur in the. upper chamber to drive the sleeve up. The connecting rod being secured to the sleeve in an approved mechan-.

- ther to Fig. 1, it will be seen that, on the adapted to the purpose.

down stroke the slots Z are open to the inlet and exhaust ports m and 0, being full open when the stroke is completed. As soon as the slots Z begin to open the ports m and 0, the'air rushes in through m and passing all through and around the explosion chamber, rushes out through the exhaust port 0, driving the burned gasesout with it, all as indicated by the arrow heads in Fig. 1. This continues untilthe ports m and 0 are covered by the walls of the sleeve on the up stroke, the fresh charge being admitted when the ports are closed, when compression begins. This action is duplicated I in the upper explosion chamber, and is carried on alternately as long as the engine is running.

.The air for clearing the explosion chambers is supplied thereto under pressure by any approved mechanical method best is injected into the chambers by any approved system, the means shown in Fig. 1 being merely for the purpose of illustration. The internal lubrication of the engine is eflected-by the combined splash and force feed systemof lubrication.

a It will be seen, further, that l have devised an engine which shall be valveless, and

The fuel mixture memes in which the scavenging or clearing of the burned gases out of the explosion chain-- hers is accomplished effectively before the charge is admitted, thus obviating the possibility of any of the charge being carried out with the exhausting gases, which is a direct cause of loss of power and increased consumption. In my engine, there is no possibility of leakage of the mixture once it is admitted to the explosion chamber, consequentlythe maximum amount of power is obtained with the minimum consumption of fuel. It will be seen still further that, as my engine will develop twice as much power as a two cycle engine having one explosion per revolution, and of the same relative dimensions, a smaller engine will be required.

i'or a given power, and therefore, a lighter engine, so that my engine is particularly well adapted for aviation purposes andother purposes'where weight is a consideration, while at the same time its simplicity makes it-adaptable to all purposes for which internal combustion engines are used.

What I claimas my invention is 1. In a two cycle internal combustion engine, the'combination with the cylinder, of a movable piston fittingwithin the cylinder and having opposing longitudinal slots, portions projecting inwardly from the cylinder through the slots, a stationarypiston fitting the movable piston and supported by the inwardly projecting portions and means extending through said inwardly projecting portions for feeding the fuel into the space at each end of the explosion chamber, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a two cycle. internal combustion engine, the combination with the cylinder hav- 7 ing an exhaust port in proximity to each end, of a movable piston fitting the cylinder and having tudinal slots the ends of which are designed to be brought alternately jinto alinement with the exhaust -;ports, stationary projecllUQ diametrically opposite -loI 1gitions extending inwardly from the cylinder through the slots, supported thereby within the movable piston andfitting the same, asand for the pure int ing an exhaust port in proximity to each end thereof, and opposing air inlet ports, of a movable piston fitting the cylinder and having longitudinal slots the ends of which are designed to be carried into alinement with an opposing exhaust and air inlet port of the cylinder, projections extending from the cylinder through the slots, and a stationary piston supported thereby and fitting the movable piston, as and for the purpose specified. Y.

i. The combination with a two cycle internal combustion engine having a cylinder and a stationary piston a movable piston and a stationary piston within said cylinder, of means extending through the walls of saidcylinder and moiable piston for supporting said stationary piston, and means for introducing an explosive Charge through said stationary piston. v

5. The combination with a two cycle internal combustionengine having a cylinder a movable piston and a stationary piston, and a pair of combustion chambers, of means extending through the walls of the cylinder and said movable piston for introducing an explosive charge into the combustion chambers through said stationary piston.

6; In a two cycle internal combustion engine, the combination with the engine cylinder, of a hollow movable piston fitting the cylinder, a stationary piston fitting within the movable piston so that the movable piston is slidable longitudinally thereon, means forisupporting the stationary piston in a stationary position extending through the walls of said cylinder and piston, and means for feeding the charge through said stationary piston.

' 7. In an internal combustion engine as described, the combination with a cylinder and a movable piston fitting within the cyl-' inder, of a stationary piston the ends of which are substantially concave in shape supported within the said movable piston,

and firing means adapted to extend through the ends of the said stationary piston to fire the charge in each explosion chamber alternately, as and for the purpose specified. 

